Human Personality - Volume 1 — Spiritualism

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Human Personality - Volume 1

Name: Human Personality - Volume 1
Price: 90.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781108027359

✍️ Myers, Frederic William Henry

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4.6

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A Victorian classical scholar investigates psychic phenomena and spiritualism in this 752-page Cambridge publication.

This paperback edition from Cambridge University Press covers the intersection of historical research and spiritualist inquiry. Frederic William Henry Myers left his position as a Classics teacher at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1869 to dedicate his work to psychic phenomena. Myers applies scholar-level academic techniques to supernatural occurrences, offering detailed analysis of mid-career cases. The text provides primary material for readers interested in the nineteenth-century origins of research into human personality, spiritualism, and political history.

Key Themes

Spiritualism and psychic phenomena Nineteenth-century classical scholarship History and political theory

Literary Context

This text emerges from nineteenth-century academia at Trinity College, Cambridge. It captures the moment in 1869 when classical scholar Frederic William Henry Myers turned away from traditional teaching to research psychic phenomena and spiritualism.

Myers, Frederic William Henry

📚 all books by this author (2) →

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

William James · Sir Oliver Lodge · The Society for Psychical Research · Early Modern Theosophy

🕊️

Spiritualism

🏛 Cambridge University Press 📅 2011 📖 752 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781108027359

Fun Fact

This foundational volume is a testament to intellectual courage, meticulously bridging nascent science and profound spiritual inquiry. Myers's rigorous, scholarly approach is its greatest strength, offering a compelling framework for understanding consciousness beyond the material. Those seeking simple spiritual platitudes or light reading may be disappointed. For serious students of parapsychology, Victorian thought, or the history of consciousness, this work remains an indispensable, groundbreaking exploration.

📝 Description: Human Personality - Volume 1

Frederic William Henry Myers was a classical scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge, who resigned his lectureship in 1869 to focus on investigating psychic phenomena. This volume presents his study of Spiritualism, focusing on human personality and the non-physical capacities of the mind. Myers examines historical accounts and mid-career investigations into psychic occurrences, bringing an academic approach to supernatural events. Published by Cambridge University Press, this 752-page paperback presents Myers' initial work on the mechanisms of human consciousness. The text sits at the intersection of history, political theory, and spiritualist research. It documents the early crossover between Victorian classical academia and serious inquiries into the paranormal, grounding its claims in nineteenth-century investigations. This work suits readers of history and research into early spiritualist movements. It is aimed at those who want early academic source text rather than modern guides. It does not suit readers seeking practical guides to witchcraft, modern astrology manuals, or light contemporary reading.

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Myers’ work is a dense, scholarly exploration that demands patience and a strong background in Victorian intellectual history. It is not suitable for casual readers seeking accessible spirituality or quick paranormal thrills; the prose is academic, and the subject matter requires focused attention to appreciate its nuances. Those expecting easy answers or supernatural entertainment will find little here. However, for those willing to engage with the systematic dismantling of superstition through rigorous analysis, it offers profound insights into the historical development of consciousness studies. It is a challenging but rewarding read for the dedicated scholar.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This book is essential for the intellectually curious historian of ideas, the serious student of parapsychology’s origins, and any reader fascinated by the Victorian era's unique intersection of faith and empiricism. Myers offers a compelling framework for understanding consciousness beyond the physical body, appealing to those who appreciate rigorous academic inquiry applied to spiritual questions. It provides a rare glimpse into how respected scholars of the time attempted to validate psychic experiences without abandoning scientific integrity. If you seek to understand the roots of modern occult thought through a lens of classical scholarship and systematic investigation, this text is an indispensable resource for grasping the depth and seriousness of early spiritualist endeavors.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to the intersection of science and spirituality, curious about parapsychology's origins, or fascinated by Victorian intellectual daring, this book is essential. Dive into the mind of a scholar who challenged materialist dogma, seeking empirical evidence for the non-physical aspects…

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Myers’ work is a dense, scholarly exploration that demands patience and a strong background in Victorian intellectual history. It is not suitable for casual readers seeking accessible spirituality or quick paranormal thrills; the prose is academic, and the subject matter requires focused attention to appreciate its nuances. Those expecting easy answers or supernatural entertainment will find little here. However, for those willing to engage with the systematic dismantling of superstition through rigorous analysis, it offers profound insights into the historical development of consciousness studies. It is a challenging but rewarding read for the dedicated scholar.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Myers meticulously attempts to bridge both. While rooted in empirical investigation, his ultimate aim is to validate spiritual hypotheses using rigorous methods, making it a unique fusion of scientific inquiry and spiritual quest.

Unlike many contemporaries, Myers, a former classical scholar, brought an unprecedented level of academic discipline and critical analysis to the study of psychic phenomena, seeking systematic evidence rather than mere belief or anecdotal accounts.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Classical Scholarship's Pivot

Myers, initially steeped in the intellectual traditions of ancient Greece and Rome at Trinity College, Cambridge, brought a unique academic discipline to unconventional subjects. His journey reflects a profound intellectual shift, demonstrating how a rigorous classical mind could embrace and analyze phenomena outside conventional scientific understanding, thereby legitimizing their study.

Systematic Psychic Investigation

This work represents Myers's dedicated efforts to apply scientific methodology to psychic experiences. He sought to move beyond anecdotal accounts, striving for a systematic collection and analysis of phenomena like telepathy, precognition, and post-mortem survival. His aim was to establish a credible framework for understanding these occurrences, laying groundwork for future parapsychological research.

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

Myers's research inherently explores the intricate relationship between the material body, the conscious mind, and the enduring human spirit. His investigations into spiritualism and consciousness aimed to prove the existence of aspects of being that transcend physical death, offering a holistic perspective on human existence that integrates empirical observation with profound spiritual implications.

📜 Historical context

Emerging from the vibrant intellectual ferment of the late Victorian era, Myers's work stands as a monumental response to both rampant scientific materialism and burgeoning spiritualist movements. It embodies the era's quest to reconcile scientific method with spiritual inquiry, significantly influencing early parapsychology and establishing the Society for Psychical Research's rigorous approach to the unexplained.

📚 Glossary

Psychic Phenomena
Spiritualism
Classical Scholar

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might a modern scientific approach differ from Myers's in investigating consciousness or psychic phenomena, and what lessons from his work remain relevant?
Consider a time you experienced something seemingly unexplainable. How might Myers's framework encourage a different way of interpreting that event?
In what ways do contemporary society's views on "mind, body, spirit" align with or diverge from the questions Myers was exploring at the turn of the 20th century?